Henry Drummond (1851 – 1897) was a prominent Scottish evangelist, writer, lawyer, politician, and lecturer who was well-known for his theological teachings and his commitment to the principles of love and kindness. Drummond was a sought-after speaker, often traveling between Europe and the United States.
The author of several well-known books, Drummond’s most famous being The Greatest Thing in the World. This classic, published in 1880, spoke wonderfully about the Christian concept of biblical love found in 1 Corinthians 13.
Sadly, at the young age of 45, Drummond died from a sudden illness. Fortunately, for the Christian world, his inspiring talks and books remain his wonderful legacy to millions. Below are some of his most famous quotations. As you will note many talk about love and kindness.1
“Have you ever noticed how much of Christ’s life was spent in doing kind things?”
“Christ never failed to distinguish between doubt and unbelief. Doubt is can’t believe. Unbelief is won’t believe. Doubt is honesty. Unbelief is obstinacy. Doubt is looking for light. Unbelief is content with darkness.”
“The world is not a play-ground; it is a school-room. Life is not a holiday, but an education. And the one eternal lesson for us all is how better we can love.”
“Will power does not change men. Time does not change men. Christ does.”
“The greatest thing a man can do for his Heavenly Father is to be kind to some of His other children.”
“No one can get Joy by merely asking for it. It is one of the ripest fruits of the Christian life, and, like all fruits, must be grown.”
“The creation of a new heart, the renewing of a right spirit is an omnipotent work of God. Leave it to the Creator. ‘He which hath begun a good work in you will perfect it unto that day.’”
“You will find, as you look back upon your life, that the moments when you really lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.”
“I wonder why it is we are not all kinder to each other … How much the world needs it! How easily it is done!”
“The only greatness is unselfish Love.”
“If a man does not exercise his arm he develops no biceps muscle; and if a man does not exercise his soul, he acquires no muscle in his soul, no strength of character, no vigor of moral fiber, nor beauty of Spiritual growth.”
“Christianity, as Christ taught, is the truest philosophy of life ever spoken. But let us be quite sure when we speak of Christianity, that we mean Christ’s Christianity.”
“Therefore keep in the midst of life. Do not isolate yourself. Be among men and things, and among troubles, and difficulties, and obstacles.”
“You cannot give anything more important than the Love reflected in your own life. That is the one true universal language, which allows us to speak Chinese or the dialects of India. For if, one day, you go to those places, the silent eloquence of Love will mean that you will be understood by everyone.”
“Do you know the meaning of the word ‘gentleman?’ It means someone who does things gently. That is the whole art and mystery of Love.”
“… it takes a smart fella to say ‘I don’t know the answer!’”
“Never miss an opportunity to say I love you…Better still…Create them.”
“God does not do things by making them too easy for us, but by making us strong to do the hard things.”
“Real love and real affection are not things which you can buy for money.”
“So cultivate the soul that all its powers will open out to God, and in beholding God be drawn away from sin.”
“On what does the Christian argument for Immortality really rest? It stands upon the pedestal on which the theologian rests the whole of historical Christianity–the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
“Christianity removes the attraction of the earth; and this is one way in which it diminishes men’s burden. It makes them citizens of another world.”
1 All of these quotes are from the websites below:
240 Henry Drummond Quotes | ChristianQuotes.info
Inspirational Quotes by Henry Drummond
Top 25 Henry Drummond Quotes (2025 Update) – QuoteFancy
Curt,
I appreciate your columns-most have encouragement. However,
while Henry Drummond may have taught about love, he also was a devoted evolutionist. See: Lowell Lectures on the Ascent of Man: 4 – Evolution and Sociology
By Henry Drummond
The moment it is grasped that we may have in Nature a key to the future progress of Mankind, the study of Evolution rises to an imposing rank in human interest. There lies the programme of the world from the first of time, the instrument, the charter, and still more the prophecy of progress. Evolution is the natural directory of the sociologist, the guide through that which has worked in the past to what–subject to modifying influences which Nature can always be trusted to give full notice of–may be expected to work in the future. Here, for the individual, is a new and impressive summons to public action, a vocation chosen of Nature which it will profit him to consider, for thereby he may not only save the whole world, but find his own soul.
http://articles.ochristian.com/article15182.shtml
A secular commentary has stated: The ‘New’ Evangelical Theology of Henry Drummond 1851-97. An Historical Analysis “Drummond’s prevailing emphasis throughout his published works is on progress, evolution, or ‘advolution’ with man ascending an exponential curve in the kingdom on earth toward the kingdom in heaven, the lines between the two being blurred by his concept of the ‘identity’ of natural and supernatural. Patterns of evolutionism, naturalism, Christianity, and Pelagianism blend, shift, and interweave in kaleidoscopic fashion throughout his pages; but he wishes to retain sin and rebirth, while deemphasizing most other cardinal Christian doctrines sometimes to the point of exclusion, and these factors make it difficult to classify him historically in either Christian or non-Christian traditions.” https://drum.lib.umd.edu/items/83d9d4de-1dd4-4828-a158-045ca6ee814c
P.S. I am not asking you to publish this but only consider it. I think he did great harm to the Christian message in that time period.